The worldwide Armenians are unable to raise half a percent of money of collective power
“Hayastan” All-Armenian fund’s traditional annual telethon-fundraising is over. This year, it was the 19th telethon. Armenians scattered around the world raised about 15.5 million dollars in 12 hours. Like every year, this year too, some part of this amount is still nowhere, it is only a promise. Like every year, this year too, nearly one million dollars was spent for the telethon, and some of the promises will not be fulfilled. In other words, only 10-11 million out of this 15.5 million will become real. In the end of already the 19th telethon, some of the crowd gathered in the studio were dancing kochari over live broadcast. In delight.
But it is worth to answer some questions. The best result of the telethon was recorded in 2008, more than 35 million USD donation and promise. A couple of times it was 20-25 million, mainly 10-15 million, in 2005 even 10 million was not raised – a total of 7.7 million. A clear political logic is observed in the statistics of the telethons. In 2008, Serzh Sargsyan became a President of Armenia for the first time, and the telethon-fundraising registered the aforementioned record – more than 35 million USD. Next year, a little less than half of the amount was collected – 15.8 million dollars. In 2013, Serzh Sargsyan became a President of Armenia for the second time and more than 22 million USD was raised through the telethon.
Next year, almost half of the amount was raised – 12.3 million dollars. A month before the Telethon, Ara Vardanyan, the Executive Director of the Foundation spoke on “Shant” TV live that the Diaspora seeing the brand stores and luxury restaurants in Yerevan were reluctant to give money. This is at least a wrong statement. First of all, prior to any telethons, the Foundation officially announces the purpose of the fundraising, in 2010 – it were complex development projects for the border villages of Armenia and Artsakh, particularly in the water sector, in 2005 – regional development of Martakert region NKR, in 2012 – construction of community centers in rural areas of Artsakh and the solution of urgent problems of Syrian-Armenians and so on. The Foundation does not implement projects in Yerevan.
Read also
But if Diaspora Armenians seeing the abundance of brand cars in Yerevan does not donate money for the marz or Artsakh or is reluctant, it means he is not sure that the money will serve the purpose, the money donated for the marz will not turn into a brand store in Yerevan. Or, he sees the brand shop and concludes that there is money in Yerevan, so let it give a share to the marz and let them distribute money justly. The existence of underdeveloped marzes longing for care and development in a state with a capital full of brand cars does not speak of skilled management. “Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund in its 24th year of existence has not become a consolidation tool for all Armenian forces and capabilities for which it was established in March 1992.
And this means that the responsible for public relations do not shine with their professionalism and are unable to present the mission of the Foundation to the public. There is a fundamental opinion that the collective financial power of the Diaspora Armenians all over the world amounts to 40 billion USD. Let this be a double exaggerated number, and let us assume that it is actually 20 billion while its half – 0.5 percent amounts to 100 million dollars. We manage to collect nationwide less than 0.1 percent amount of our capability and dance kochari.
Nelly GRIGORYAN
